Too Hot for Emily
by AaronCottrell97
Summary: Summer is in full swing, and Sodor is facing the hottest heatwave it has ever experienced. The engines find life difficult under the extreme heat, but no one finds it harder than Emily, who has to put up with Diesel's teasing. But Diesel soon ends up eating his own words.


It was now mid-June on the Island of Sodor. Summer had come in full swing…and with it, was yet another heatwave. Everyone had seen heatwaves before, but this one was the hottest Sodor had seen in a very, very long time. Too hot for any engine's crew to wear a full uniform unless they wanted to suffer heat exhaustion. This heatwave proved to be so intensely hot, even going to the beach didn't help. The water temperature on the shore had risen to a point that swimming offered no refreshment against the heat.

And of course, all the engines found dealing with this weather immensely difficult. The scorching heat caused more trouble than just buckled, bent tracks. It would also leave engines hot, bothered, thirsty and red in the face, longing for long, refreshing drinks at the water tower. They weren't even safe from the heat in the middle of the night.

"HOW CAN IT BE THIS HOT AT MIDNIGHT?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" bellowed Percy as he went about his mail run.

But out of all the engines who struggled through this weather, it would most certainly prove to be too hot for Emily.

One very hot morning, Emily was chosen to collect stone from the Blue Mountain Quarry to take to Vicarstown. She did not like the heat, but still knew to be really useful and went on her way. She crossed right over the turntable and went straight to the water tower first to fill with as much water as she could for the long and burning hot day ahead. But even then, she could feel the sun beating down on her face and her boiler.

As she set off again, she saw Percy on the line beside her, looking quite hot himself.

"Hello, Emily," he said wearily against the heat.

"Whew! Make sure you fill up with water today. It's very hot!" Emily replied. And she set off to collect her trucks from the Shunting Yards.

When she arrived, she saw her trucks waiting in a siding. But before she could approach them, she was suddenly bumped forward from behind.

"Agh!" she exclaimed. "What was that?"

"That was ME, Emily!" said a familiar, but unwelcome voice. It was Diesel. "Dear me, it must be too hot for you!"

Emily would have retorted back at Diesel, but she was too hot and bothered to care as she simply gathered her train and made her way to the quarry.

Work in the quarry was very hot and also dusty. None of the Narrow Gauge Engines were having a very pleasant time under this heatwave. Sir Handel and Duncan were grumping and griping much more than they usually ever did, as were the rest of the engines. All except Luke, who in spite of the immense heat kept a good-natured heart. He knew that being angry would not help matters at all.

Emily waited as patiently as she could in the heatwave while her trucks were loaded. The heat was bearing down on her ever-so steadily, and the bright sun made her eyes hurt somewhat too.

She was relieved when her train was finally ready and she could go on her way. But her hopes for a fast run to let the breeze cool her down a little were dashed. Her train was long and rather heavy. To work with a heavy train was hard enough, but to do so under the current heat made it most unbearable for Emily. Her face slowly became pinker and pinker. It was most uncomfortable and unfair. Before she knew it, she needed to fill up with more water.

Luckily, she was nearing Maron Station and saw her chance. She stopped at the water tower and her fireman got straight to work.

Emily felt better to be filling up on water again, but as she was enjoying her drink, her eye fell upon Diesel shunting empty trucks into the sidings. She hoped desperately that he wouldn't notice her, but low and behold, he did. Diesel always thought steam engines having to refill on water was funny, and he saw this as a chance to have some fun.

"Dear me, Emily," he sneered rudely. "Needing another drink already? Steamies always seem to be thirsty! Most greedy to be taking all that water!"

Emily couldn't ignore Diesel now. She simply had to retort. "You're one to talk, Diesel! You diesels need to drink fuel as well!"

Diesel did not expect to hear that, but was all too ready to respond. "That's different," he smirked as he rolled away to his next job.

Soon after, Emily was ready to keep going. She braved on through the scorching heat and crisp sun. The humidity was also becoming very intolerant. Every yard she moved forward, it felt as though she were in a rainforest, feeling a sticky, steamy sensation against her face which made her hotter and hotter, and more and more impatient.

Only an hour later, Emily began to feel desperately thirsty again. "Please," she panted to her driver. "I need another drink."

Her driver was surprised to hear this as they only just filled her up. He checked her pressure gauge and saw that the needle was pointing right at hot. Indeed, Emily did need another drink. They saw Kellsthorpe Road Station ahead and stopped at that water tower.

The fireman prepared the water pipe once again and began filling Emily's tender. The driver waited and watched her water gauge to see it go up. But minutes passed and the gauge was filling very slowly. Emily kept drinking and drinking, but no matter how much she drank, she was simply not getting enough water.

The fireman stopped the water pipe and came back to check her over with the driver. A few minutes later, they suddenly stopped and stared.

"Well I never," said her driver. Emily had a hole in her boiler, where all the water was leaking out.

"Hmm…" said her fireman. "One of your tubes must have burst in this heat, Emily, and made the hole. We can't go on like this. We'll have to get you to the Steamworks. If we traveled much further like this, you could explode."

Emily felt even worse to hear such news. "Oh no!" she complained. "This isn't fair!"

Her driver uncoupled her from the trucks, then, using what little steam she had left, Emily moved onto the siding to rest until help would come.

Donald eventually came by to take her trucks onward to Vicarstown. "Oh dear, Emily. I'm so sorry to see you like this," he said as he went on his way. Emily was too hot and bothered to answer.

Further up the line, Diesel had a goods train of his own and had heard about Emily's predicament as he overheard Donald worrying about her on his way with her trucks. Diesel found this very funny as he went on his way to Kellsthorpe.

When he arrived, he saw Emily in the siding, with a hole in her boiler, looking very miserable now.

"Why, hello there…Drippy," he snickered to Emily. "Blew a hole in your boiler, I see!"

All of Diesel's trucks laughed and laughed, making Emily very cross as Diesel rolled away, laughing. Shortly after, Emily heard Gordon's whistle, and saw him come by with the Express. He was in need to fill up on water too and he was quick to notice how sad she looked as he stopped at the water tower.

"Emily? Whatever is the matter?" he asked.

"Everything today, Gordon. That's the matter!" she said. "I'm too hot to enjoy anything today, Diesel bumped me at the Shunting Yards, I've been working hard in this heat all day, needing to refill on water while Diesel teased me about it, and now my tubes have burst with Diesel calling me 'Drippy'! I've had more than enough to deal with today!"

"Oh dear, Emily," sympathized Gordon. "We're all very impatient with this heat. But don't take Diesel's words so personally. I once got a hole in my boiler too after one of Paxton's stones hit me. I know only too well what it must be like for you."

Gordon had now refilled completely and went on his way again. "I wish I could help you, Emily," he said. "But I'm a guaranteed connection."

Emily watched miserably as he went down the track and around the bend…but suddenly, she heard another welcome whistle.

"Emily! Great Scott!" It was Douglas. "What has happened to my dear sister?" Emily told Douglas everything.

"Ohh. I am most sorry to hear that. But you must nae worry. I'm taking you to the Steamworks," said Douglas as he coupled to her. Then he took off down the line as quickly as he could, not caring how hot he felt. Emily felt a little better to feel some breeze against her face until they reached the Steamworks. Douglas left her there while Victor and Kevin saw to Emily right away.

"Do not worry, my friend," said Victor. "You'll soon be back out there, being useful again, Emily."

Emily looked down at Victor, her face rather pink from the heat, and said nothing, just wishing that things would get better soon enough…

* * *

A few days later, Emily was back at work. Her tubes and boiler had been mended so she could go on with no problems, but the heatwave was still as strong as ever. She only hoped she wouldn't have too much more to deal with.

That morning, when she woke up at Tidmouth Sheds, she felt the burning heat hit her hard again, making her nervous about what would happen next. But she looked again and was surprised to see David coming by, in only a vest instead of his sailing coat, holding a newspaper, and his long black hair dripping with sweat.

"Ohh…morning, David," she groaned against the heat. "It's so hot!"

"It sure is, Emily. Whew!" David gasped as he fanned his face with the newspaper, feeling a little grumpy himself with the heat.

"Accursed heatwave!" he griped. "Making grumps out of all of us! We should…we…whew…Ah...CHOO!"

David sneezed hard into his arm, then looked even more disconsolate with the heat. "Ooh! My head…" Then he reached into his large vest pocket for a bottle of water and took a huge gulp. The sight made Emily feel tempted to have a drink herself.

"Please, David. Let's get to a water tower!" she pleaded. David agreed and got onboard Emily.

She huffed to the water tower at Knapford Station and her fireman got to work filling her tender for her first passenger train. This time, she could feel her tank getting full and staying full. David got out of Emily's cab and got onto her running plate.

"Here, Emily. This is the least I can do for you right now," he said as he gently fanned her face with the newspaper he had. Emily felt so comfortable as she felt her tank fill up and the newspaper fanning her face, that she shut her eyes…but that meant she didn't notice just who was reversing into her from the front.

Emily suddenly heard a quiet snicker, which made her open her eyes with alert, and David turned around fast, only for Diesel to roughly bump her again to say hello. Emily was bumped so roughly, her fireman lost footing and almost fell off her tender.

"Whoa!" David exclaimed as he jumped off her running plate and tumbled a little over the hot ground.

Diesel pushed Emily further back, right under the pipe. Water flowed from the tower and began showering all over Emily's face, making her cough and gurgle.

"Ha-ha! Well, what do you know, Drippy?!" laughed Diesel. "Still needing a hefty drink, are you? That seems like too much water for you!"

Emily's driver eased her away from the water flow, but Emily was most upset that her fireman was almost hurt. She furiously spat out a mouthful of water, exclaimed loudly and angrily, then blew her whistle shrilly, which only made Diesel laugh more.

"Diesel pushed me! And Diesel HOOSHED me!" she yelled.

But then, David reared up on his feet again, red-faced and white-knuckled as he strode toward Diesel, pointing a finger right at him.

When David yelled at Diesel, his voice sounded like an angry grizzly bear. "WHY, YOU DAWDLING IMBECILE, I-!"

But Diesel was already running off on his own, laughing hysterically. "See you later, Drippy!" he called.

Emily fumed again, but then suddenly noticed, her face was much cooler. At least the water splashing on her face felt most refreshing. Something she was certainly not expecting.

"Well…this does feel rather nice against this baking sun!" she gasped.

David wiped his ever-sweating forehead with a handkerchief and turned back to Emily.

"He'll be in trouble soon, Emily. You'll see. He'll come to a sticky, and humid end with all that laughing. I heard he's going to the Mainland today for more trucks. Who knows what that may bring?"

"I hope so," Emily sighed. "But David…I've never seen you so cranky!"

"It's this blasted heat, Emily," David sighed. "I wish it would end too. Now you just go about your day. I, meanwhile am going home to listen to the Sodor News, so I can find out just how long this heat will continue."

"Thank you, David," said Emily. "If you learn anything, please tell me."

David nodded and ran off to the platforms to wait for Bertie to take him back to Ffarquhar, and Emily started work again. But she had little idea of what would await her later that day.

When early evening came, the heat had still not eased off, and by now, Diesel was coming back from the Mainland with more trucks. He had been laughing about "Drippy," all day and couldn't wait to tease her yet again. As he crossed over Vicarstown Bridge, he continued to laugh so much, he didn't think to ask his driver about his fuel tank. It had been a long day for him too, albeit a day full of laughter for him…laughter that would very soon backfire on him.

Diesel kept rolling along the line, laughing his motor out, when he suddenly felt himself going slower, and slower, and slower still.

"Huh? What's happening?" he asked, not laughing anymore. "What's going on?"

Diesel tried to go faster, but he couldn't…and soon, his wheels stopped altogether.

His driver checked his gauges. "Just what I thought," he said. "You've run out of fuel, Diesel. And there isn't another refueling station until Kellsthorpe…that's miles away."

Diesel gasped and felt most embarrassed. Then suddenly he heard a loud honk from a car's horn. He looked and saw he had stopped right in the middle of a level crossing. He frantically looked left and right and could suddenly see cars and trucks piling up and causing an enormous traffic jam. Before Diesel knew it, drivers were stepping out, pointing at him and shouting their heads off.

"GET OFF OUR ROAD!" One driver yelled.

"Call yourself an engine?! You're a disgrace to the railway!" yelled another one.

"Find yourself a scrap yard!" yelled a third.

"Sir Topham Hatt should be here right now, just so he can send you packing again!" shouted a fourth.

Diesel shut his eyes and bawled. "HELP!"

Within the hour, the Thin Controller heard the news from the office at Knapford Station.

"Alright, alright! Calm down now!" he said. "I'll see to it at once." And he set off for Tidmouth Sheds.

At Tidmouth Sheds, Emily was resting after another hot day, when the Thin Controller came by and explained the situation.

"Diesel has run out of fuel and is stuck on a level crossing. Dozens of angry drivers' tempers are already getting out of hand. Emily, as you're the only engine available, you have to get Diesel out of there to the next refueling station."

Emily was most delighted to hear Diesel's dilemma and set off to the rescue as she began to laugh very hard herself about it. David was right. Diesel did come to a sticky and humid end. It was yet another wave of poetic justice that Emily loved so much. She was certainly not expecting to hear news like that, and it was an immediate uplift for her in this most difficult heat.

Back at the level crossing, the traffic jam had gotten worse, and more and drivers were becoming angrier and angrier at Diesel with no end in sight. Diesel was now very, very hot himself from the heatwave, and very embarrassed. Then when he heard Emily's whistle, he groaned with even more displeasure and misery. Seeing her tender back up toward him made him feel as if he'd welcome being scrapped any time.

"Get this abomination…OFF OUR CROSSING!" one driver shouted.

"If he isn't going to move, we'll move him!" another one shouted.

"Toss him off the line!" roared a third.

This made Emily blow her whistle loudly. This made all the shouting stop. Everyone watched as Emily coupled to Diesel and pulled him away silently. As soon as Diesels trucks were clear, the level crossing opened, and a wave of roaring vehicles could be heard.

Emily had decided to say nothing and didn't say a word after what she had just heard. Diesel felt awful all the way as Emily pulled him along toward Kellsthorpe, and even felt as though he had learned something for himself.

When they reached Kellsthorpe, Emily left him to be refueled, but not before uncoupling from him and giving him a serious look as she left, silently telling him that this was what could happen.

Before long, Diesel had been refueled and was back on his way again, going much slower, even with a full tank, and still feeling terrible as he heard all the angry, rude remarks ringing in his ears. For once, he felt like he had learned a valuable lesson. Annoying others and enjoying it too much could probably lead to you getting everything thrown back at you. He worked so slowly, he didn't finish his journey with his trucks until nearly sunset.

Emily, meanwhile spent the rest of the evening coasting along the line, feeling much better than she had before. That time, it was her turn to find Diesel's predicament funny, and she kept smiling until she returned to Tidmouth Sheds that night.

When she returned, she stopped just before the turntable to look at the moon, when she heard David's voice beside her.

"There you are, Emily. You made it home again."

"Hello, David," said Emily.

"I heard about what happened with Diesel today. It seems I was right…and I heard some delightful news for you on the radio this evening. They say the heatwave should break by tomorrow morning. Then these temperatures will be much more tolerable."

Emily gasped and smiled. "Really, David? That's such a gift to hear! Thank you!"

"Any day, Emily," David replied.

Emily held her smile as she turned around on the turntable and backed into her berth. David watched as she made herself comfortable…then he suddenly heard the sound of a diesel engine from behind. He could see Diesel slowly approaching the turntable. David remembered all the trouble and undeserving teasing Emily had been through during this burning hot weather, and he made a dash for the turntable before Diesel could get on it.

David flashed a look of anger at Diesel with baring teeth as he walked across the turntable, silently warning Diesel not to proceed until the young captain had crossed the turntable. When he did, he stepped to the side of the rail and watched carefully as Diesel got on the turntable too.

Diesel seemed forlorn and shaken by what had happened to him that evening as he settled on the turntable, then turned himself right around and left the sheds to go home.

When Diesel was out of sight, David's hard expression subsided, and he turned to Emily again.

"He got what he deserved," he said. "Teasing you for needing a drink, and holding up all that traffic indeed!"

"Maybe so, David," said Emily. "But…he was being very badly attacked by all the remarks those drivers were giving him. I didn't think it would be right to give him even more."

"Hmm. Well, I do hope it teaches him a lesson," said David. "At least the worst of the heat will break tomorrow. Are you exited, Emily?"

"Oh, yes, David," Emily smiled. "This has been a very difficult heatwave. The hottest we've had for a long time. It's never fun to go through, but that just makes it so much better when it ends…"

And the next morning, as David had heard on the Sodor News, the heatwave had indeed ended. The sun was still shining brightly, but it didn't feel unbearably humid anymore. Emily and the rest of the engines were most happy to learn this.

Emily went to Knapford Station to fill with water once again before her passenger run that day, feeling much happier. As she filled with water, she suddenly saw Diesel roll up beside her. But he did not seem tricky or up to trouble this time. If anything, he seemed a little nervous, and almost sorry.

"M…morning, Emily," was all he said before he left to start his own work.

Emily watched him roll away before she fetched her coaches and was soon on her way with her passengers.

"Well, it has been too hot for me for a while now," she said to herself. "But now, I can be much more useful."

Emily felt happier and more peaceful all day. As the day progressed, not only had the heatwave faded away, but Emily was quick to notice that with whatever water tower she stopped at and saw Diesel, he had stopped teasing her about needing to refill on water.

* * *

That was quick wasn't it? That's fine by me. This story is based on the magazine story "Too Hot", with some inspiration from the 'NWR Tales' adaptation of the story on YouTube called "Duck Runs Dry", with a "Gordon Runs Dry" reference, since that episode is mostly likely based on the magazine story, which would make sense since Andrew Brenner most likely wrote the magazine story. Anyway, please tell us what you thought of this story and we'll see you next time when we go back to Rosie and Stanley, they're finally getting another story. Until then.


End file.
